After a long two weeks of working on Lake Erie for the Canadian Coast Guard, I decided I needed to attend Bikram Yoga. I am always pretty tired after my two week shift and this time it was no different.
I arrived twenty minutes early for Yoga class. I quickly put my belongings in the change room and took a Svasana in the hot Yoga room. Bikram is a really great place to enjoy a quiet and peaceful atmosphere. You can barely hear the hum of the heaters and the lights are off when you first arrive. It is the perfect place for a nap after a long shift at work.
I instantly relaxed into Svasana before class. I was so calm that I guess I fell asleep. Just before class was about to begin, I woke myself up with my snoring. Sleeping on your back always causes snoring. My heart beat began to race and I was embarrassed. There are numerous embarrassing noises, sounds and sites that can occur in a Yoga room. You can let your mind reflect on those special effects. Flatulence is probably the number one contender in a yoga room. Silent or loud. The body is moving and twisting all over the place, so it can only be expect.
The rest of the yogis might not have noticed but I could not believe that I had started sleeping loudly. From a first aiders perspective, heat makes you tired and can cause you to faint. If you are already tired than it would be easy for heat to have a larger impact on your system.
I have even noticed students laying longer in svasana because they had fallen asleep, too. It is hard to find meditation in a horizontal position when you are used to it being the position of sleep. We train ourselves to go to sleep by laying down and closing our eyes. When you are laying down in a hot room it is hard to resist entering a the sleeping zone. Hour long Yoga nidras have even put me to sleep. Even while sleeping I have noticed a calmness after the guided meditation because I was still listening to the guide.
Svasana is an area of my practice I would like to deepen. Finding stillness of the mind and body but avoiding the temptation to sleep will be a challenge. I am sure many people have fallen asleep to the calm voice of heir instructor. Please share some of your funny stories!
BIRTHDAY SHOUT OUTS to Cooper, Audrey, and Rachel!!!!!!
yours gingerly,
W h i t n e y
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Elsie's Yoga Podcast with my Sister
Coast Guard takes up a huge portion of my summer and it is nice to have Yoga classes available while at base. I have been practicing with John Friend, Elsie and P90X Yoga. Sometimes I practice on my own and some days I have people who join.
Today, my sister Ainsley joined the yoga train. I am lucky to be working with my sister. We decided to partake in one of Elsie's 75 minute yoga Podcast classes. A free yoga class while at base is AMAZING and it is nice to introduce Ainsley to different styles of Yoga. Ainsley struggled a little with the podcast cues because she is most familiar with Bikram. In general, a verbal class is tough for individuals who scarcely practice Yoga. It was nice showing Ainsley the postures in the comfort of our Coast Guard base. I really enjoy the verbal communication, because it helps me focus on the postures and gives me description ideas for when I am teaching Yoga.
Ainsley knows that she needs to stretch out and try Yoga but she has really been struggling with the classes that exceed an hour. Her attention runs thin and she cannot focus on the simple tasks. She has a similar back injury to mine and stretching seems to help her pain. P90X yoga was far to long for her, so she enjoyed a cookie/water break. I think a music filled class would best suit her. A playlist with Justin Bieber and Janet Jackson, perhaps?
Finally, I want to make a shout-out to my fiance who just finished writing the bar. CONGRATS! He is now off moving all our stuff to our new home in Lakeland, FL. Wish I could be there to help out! Love you Coop.
yours gingerly,
Cox Schnarr :)
Today, my sister Ainsley joined the yoga train. I am lucky to be working with my sister. We decided to partake in one of Elsie's 75 minute yoga Podcast classes. A free yoga class while at base is AMAZING and it is nice to introduce Ainsley to different styles of Yoga. Ainsley struggled a little with the podcast cues because she is most familiar with Bikram. In general, a verbal class is tough for individuals who scarcely practice Yoga. It was nice showing Ainsley the postures in the comfort of our Coast Guard base. I really enjoy the verbal communication, because it helps me focus on the postures and gives me description ideas for when I am teaching Yoga.
Today, Ainsley almost completed the whole class. She only skipped savasana and part of pigeon (I skipped corpse, too). The laying still has yet to catch on for her! Quite often, I cannot focus on my Yoga practice, too. At first, savasana was really awkward for me and now I get so comfortable that I almost fall asleep... oops! During Elsie's class she started with a good amount of planks and chattorungas. I was struggling, because last night I did arms and back on the P90X video. My arms were heavy and exhausted. Elsie's class was tough but as I loosened-up, the postures felt manageable. Thanks Elsie!
Ainsley knows that she needs to stretch out and try Yoga but she has really been struggling with the classes that exceed an hour. Her attention runs thin and she cannot focus on the simple tasks. She has a similar back injury to mine and stretching seems to help her pain. P90X yoga was far to long for her, so she enjoyed a cookie/water break. I think a music filled class would best suit her. A playlist with Justin Bieber and Janet Jackson, perhaps?
Finally, I want to make a shout-out to my fiance who just finished writing the bar. CONGRATS! He is now off moving all our stuff to our new home in Lakeland, FL. Wish I could be there to help out! Love you Coop.
yours gingerly,
Cox Schnarr :)
Saturday, July 24, 2010
Basement Yoga with Mother, Sister + Friends
'Twas the night before coast guard shift three and all through the house, the ladies and I were practicing yoga.
The night before my two week shift at the guard, I always try to enjoy my free time at home. The group yoga session was a spontaneous event. My mom and I had plans to experiment with the P90X Yoga but we did not intend to have four other participants.
After teaching my regular night time Yoga class, I swung over and picked up my cousin Bailey. I had not seen her in a long time so we planned for yoga, dinner and a sleepover. When I returned home I was surprised to find my sister, Ainsley and her two friends, Briar and heather. They had come over to join the yoga party in our basement.
We re-arranged the furniture and managed to comfortably fit all six P90X Yoga participants. The basement could have fit about 20 yogis, so if you are interested let me know!
I love the 90 minute session because it is a good way to practice the chattorunga. I appreciate only practicing, while doing yoga with my friends and family. It is fun to share and teach the family but it is also nice to just practice alongside them.
My cousin Bailey was loving the session to, until she needed a snack break to replenish her energy. One break lead to another, Ainsley disappeared for a good 20 minutes. She went upstairs to snack on my mother's famous Skor cookies, and fetched everyone water.
Team Yoga weakened quickly, but Briar, Heather and my mom held on strong. Some postures sequences were far too challenging for introductory students, so they chose to watch and learn. Tony, the P90X instructor, has a balancing sequencing that does not come naturally on your first attempt. He works from warrior I, to airplane, to standing split, rotates the hips open into half-moon and finishes in full moon. The flow is great but it takes time to strengthen and find endurance in the postures.
Overall, I had a great session at home with friends and family. I hope to do a repeat class with them upon my return. I think I will share my John Friend Yoga DVD's with them next time.
After Yoga we ate some delicious Quinoa topped with veggies and a peanut sauce created by Jessa. Everyone adored the dish and found it to be very satisfactory after one of their first Yoga classes.
What do you like about P90X and Yoga DVDs in general?
yours gingerly,
Cox Schnarr
The night before my two week shift at the guard, I always try to enjoy my free time at home. The group yoga session was a spontaneous event. My mom and I had plans to experiment with the P90X Yoga but we did not intend to have four other participants.
After teaching my regular night time Yoga class, I swung over and picked up my cousin Bailey. I had not seen her in a long time so we planned for yoga, dinner and a sleepover. When I returned home I was surprised to find my sister, Ainsley and her two friends, Briar and heather. They had come over to join the yoga party in our basement.
We re-arranged the furniture and managed to comfortably fit all six P90X Yoga participants. The basement could have fit about 20 yogis, so if you are interested let me know!
I love the 90 minute session because it is a good way to practice the chattorunga. I appreciate only practicing, while doing yoga with my friends and family. It is fun to share and teach the family but it is also nice to just practice alongside them.
My cousin Bailey was loving the session to, until she needed a snack break to replenish her energy. One break lead to another, Ainsley disappeared for a good 20 minutes. She went upstairs to snack on my mother's famous Skor cookies, and fetched everyone water.
Team Yoga weakened quickly, but Briar, Heather and my mom held on strong. Some postures sequences were far too challenging for introductory students, so they chose to watch and learn. Tony, the P90X instructor, has a balancing sequencing that does not come naturally on your first attempt. He works from warrior I, to airplane, to standing split, rotates the hips open into half-moon and finishes in full moon. The flow is great but it takes time to strengthen and find endurance in the postures.
Overall, I had a great session at home with friends and family. I hope to do a repeat class with them upon my return. I think I will share my John Friend Yoga DVD's with them next time.
After Yoga we ate some delicious Quinoa topped with veggies and a peanut sauce created by Jessa. Everyone adored the dish and found it to be very satisfactory after one of their first Yoga classes.
What do you like about P90X and Yoga DVDs in general?
yours gingerly,
Cox Schnarr
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Asia's Vinyasa
After an exciting day of wedding planning, I was graced with five pleasant Yoga students. Four women returned from Monday night class and we had a new male! It was his first class and he did amazing. Class flew by quickly. I even managed to finish on-time, because the karate kids do not like to wait for their space to practice.
I now know all the students' names and we have started our own yoga community at Bodyworks Gym. The students are enjoying the change in class structure each class. I love the variety of choices Yoga provides, because you can structure a yoga class different each day. During class, my primary concern is the well-being of each student; therefore, I focus on giving tons of cues and further guiding a student when they are in a compromising position. After six weeks, the class is starting to flow and the new Yogis are showing more familiarity with the postures.
After teaching class, I re-focused on getting to my own Yoga practice at Energi Studio with Asia. I had 30 minutes to get across Kitchener to Waterloo for my 6:30 p.m. Yoga session. My first class was free, so all I had to do is show up in comfortable clothes, and listen to Asia's instructions.
My dentist, and a friend suggested I check out her class. I heard she was great, but no one could pin point what made her such a great instructor. I think student's keep returning because of her clear voice, yoga knowledge and passion for the practice. It really showed. A yoga class continues to survive each week, when the instructor does a great job and it looks like she has the right recipe. I love going to new yoga classes but if the class does not intrigue me I almost never return. I hope to return to Asia's class before moving to my new home in Lakeland, FL.
Asia had a great sequence for the class's level. She had clean postures and left an appropriate amount of time to enjoy each posture. The mirrors helped students see their alignment and watch her from a different angle. Fortunately, I was warm before class because the warm-up was short and the room was freezing. The yoga flow incorporated Anusara and Ashtanga techniques. The style combination was greatly appreciated, and it was refreshing to have a new instructor.
I have fallen for Anusara alignment, because it has really helped me find depth in certain postures such as Uttita Trikonasana. The class could have benefited more by her giving direct instruction to students out of alignment but she did do a great job of explaining each posture verbally and through physical demonstration. Each instructor has his or her style, I just prefer the instructor verbal instruction over demonstration.
Studio Energi had a great space. The room was built in a corner. Asia stood in one corner and the room fanned out with students. The music was very calm and it help create a comfortable ambiance. If you are in the Kitchener-Waterloo area I recommend that you go and try Asia's class at Studio Energi. I know she is also, offering a teacher training program for those looking to expand their practice.
namaste
yours gingerly,
Coxswain Schnarr
I now know all the students' names and we have started our own yoga community at Bodyworks Gym. The students are enjoying the change in class structure each class. I love the variety of choices Yoga provides, because you can structure a yoga class different each day. During class, my primary concern is the well-being of each student; therefore, I focus on giving tons of cues and further guiding a student when they are in a compromising position. After six weeks, the class is starting to flow and the new Yogis are showing more familiarity with the postures.
After teaching class, I re-focused on getting to my own Yoga practice at Energi Studio with Asia. I had 30 minutes to get across Kitchener to Waterloo for my 6:30 p.m. Yoga session. My first class was free, so all I had to do is show up in comfortable clothes, and listen to Asia's instructions.
My dentist, and a friend suggested I check out her class. I heard she was great, but no one could pin point what made her such a great instructor. I think student's keep returning because of her clear voice, yoga knowledge and passion for the practice. It really showed. A yoga class continues to survive each week, when the instructor does a great job and it looks like she has the right recipe. I love going to new yoga classes but if the class does not intrigue me I almost never return. I hope to return to Asia's class before moving to my new home in Lakeland, FL.
Asia had a great sequence for the class's level. She had clean postures and left an appropriate amount of time to enjoy each posture. The mirrors helped students see their alignment and watch her from a different angle. Fortunately, I was warm before class because the warm-up was short and the room was freezing. The yoga flow incorporated Anusara and Ashtanga techniques. The style combination was greatly appreciated, and it was refreshing to have a new instructor.
I have fallen for Anusara alignment, because it has really helped me find depth in certain postures such as Uttita Trikonasana. The class could have benefited more by her giving direct instruction to students out of alignment but she did do a great job of explaining each posture verbally and through physical demonstration. Each instructor has his or her style, I just prefer the instructor verbal instruction over demonstration.
Studio Energi had a great space. The room was built in a corner. Asia stood in one corner and the room fanned out with students. The music was very calm and it help create a comfortable ambiance. If you are in the Kitchener-Waterloo area I recommend that you go and try Asia's class at Studio Energi. I know she is also, offering a teacher training program for those looking to expand their practice.
namaste
yours gingerly,
Coxswain Schnarr
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Morning Yoga + Raw Pad Thai
Sticking to my Bikram Yoga classes, I returned this morning to join my two friends Stephanie and Natalie. Class provided its usual drip fest, and was led by a delightful instructor, Tamara. My hamstrings were a tad tight and my eyes were fussing over the salty sweat. Class flew by but I have begun to notice a couple of things while practicing.
I attend Bikram for several reasons- predictable (no vinyasa), heated stretching, and to sweat. I love VINYASA but sometimes I like to give my upper body a break. No flow is great, however, good alignment cues and modifications are not a traditional part of the Bikram instruction. Bikram practitioners need to investigate each pose on their own in order to better understand the postures. There is far too much room for error without thorough alignment cues and modifications.
For instance, tree pose does not have any variations while in Bikram. They encourage each student to work towards getting their foot in front of their quad,and up by the groin. Tree has a variety of different modifications and Bikram's style is not ideal for everyone. Making sure that the foot is in line with the shin is extremely important because sickling the foot will only put more strain on the bent knee. During Bikram I have modified the tree pose due to pain in my knee. The instructors immediately request that you do the pose only by their instruction. I have been told to stop the pose completely, if I cannot achieve what they have described. It is hard not to get frustrated because I am used to flowing through postures that feel good to my body and not forcing them into a mold. As an instructor I prefer to guide a yoga class, and not command the students. I could go on but this is one example that has been plaguing me over the past week or maybe year. Overall, the class is solid but new students could really benefit from better alignment cues. Injury is easily achieved with misguidance.
After Yoga, I enjoyed a Vega smoothie and went for lunch with Natalie at Thrive. I tried the raw Pad Thai and loved it! I love going to Waterloo's new juice bar and today they surprised me with yet another tasty menu item. Tonight I have been searching for a similar Pad Thai recipe; however, Thrive has it's own chefs who have been working extremely hard to perfect their own menu. Every day they have additions to the menu. If you have not tried Thrive please check out Waterloo's newest J bar.
Bon soir. Tomorrow is another fun filled day of walking Rudy, and trying a new Advanced Yoga class with Asia, at Studio Energi. I will be rocking out in Vinyasa tomorrow : )
yours gingerly,
W h i t n e y
I attend Bikram for several reasons- predictable (no vinyasa), heated stretching, and to sweat. I love VINYASA but sometimes I like to give my upper body a break. No flow is great, however, good alignment cues and modifications are not a traditional part of the Bikram instruction. Bikram practitioners need to investigate each pose on their own in order to better understand the postures. There is far too much room for error without thorough alignment cues and modifications.
For instance, tree pose does not have any variations while in Bikram. They encourage each student to work towards getting their foot in front of their quad,and up by the groin. Tree has a variety of different modifications and Bikram's style is not ideal for everyone. Making sure that the foot is in line with the shin is extremely important because sickling the foot will only put more strain on the bent knee. During Bikram I have modified the tree pose due to pain in my knee. The instructors immediately request that you do the pose only by their instruction. I have been told to stop the pose completely, if I cannot achieve what they have described. It is hard not to get frustrated because I am used to flowing through postures that feel good to my body and not forcing them into a mold. As an instructor I prefer to guide a yoga class, and not command the students. I could go on but this is one example that has been plaguing me over the past week or maybe year. Overall, the class is solid but new students could really benefit from better alignment cues. Injury is easily achieved with misguidance.
After Yoga, I enjoyed a Vega smoothie and went for lunch with Natalie at Thrive. I tried the raw Pad Thai and loved it! I love going to Waterloo's new juice bar and today they surprised me with yet another tasty menu item. Tonight I have been searching for a similar Pad Thai recipe; however, Thrive has it's own chefs who have been working extremely hard to perfect their own menu. Every day they have additions to the menu. If you have not tried Thrive please check out Waterloo's newest J bar.
Bon soir. Tomorrow is another fun filled day of walking Rudy, and trying a new Advanced Yoga class with Asia, at Studio Energi. I will be rocking out in Vinyasa tomorrow : )
yours gingerly,
W h i t n e y
Monday, July 12, 2010
Waterloo Yoga with Whitney
Bikram was a great stretch after a weekend of jumping on a water trampoline. I had a bit of an inner thigh strain and a tight mid section. This is no ordinary trampoline- it has attachments which are similar to the hit television show, "Wipe Out". I have scarcely watched the show but I felt like my family was being filmed all weekend. I had some great laughs and hard falls off of the twirling trampoline attachment.
During my spare time between Bikram and teaching class, I wander around Waterloo doing errands. The radio had far too many repetitive songs, so I pressed CD. Whitney Houston's voice filled the car and I instantly fell in love with her song, "Million Dollar Bill". I kept it playing over the course of the afternoon.
Before my second Yoga class I went into Aritzia to purchase a new sweat shirt. To my surprise, Whitney Houston's song of the day was heating up the shopping floor. The sales associate and I both commented on how we really appreciated the song's presence. It was funny and comforting to hear my song of choice.
To top the day off, Yoga at Bodyworks was a enjoyable. I had three regulars and two new students. The gym's classes have never gone over 8 students, so I am pleased to be hosting a class with such high attendance and interest. I had one woman who was pregnant and just starting to workout for the first time. Not always the best decision but as my instructors would say, Yoga can be designed for anyone. I had to give her lots of extra attention but she was more than patient. Bodyworks has shown to be a great place to meet open minded people, who are willing to experiment with Yoga. I look forward to teaching class my second class this week on Wednesday at 5:00 p.m.
yours gingerly,
W h i t n e y
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
P90X Yoga Experience
While working at the Coast Guard my crew and I started the P90X program. We thought it would be a great team building activity and I was curious about the program.
Tony Horton, the creator, does a great job at sequencing the exercises throughout the sessions. There are lots of push-ups and chin-ups but he breaks them up. The arm, leg and abdominal workouts were great, too. The morning after each workout I was able to feel the muscles I had worked but it was never to an extent of discomfort or muscle tightness that would affect my workout. I had a great seven day trial and enjoyed each days new workout. Except for the day when we played the wrong video and did the advanced arms and chest. As soon as we started doing one-handed push-ups I thought Tony was crazy. Most women have trouble with push-ups, and I could not imagine my mom attempting to try one-handed push-ups during her first week.
My main reason for trying P90X was to check out the Yoga session. Friends and yoga students kept suggesting I try the P90X Yoga. Yoga was schedule on day four and I thought it was a great class. I prefer attending class, but when you are stuck at a base 24/7, Yoga DVDs are a great compromise. Some postures and transitions were a bit advance for those who have never done Yoga but slow enough for beginners to build. My sister and her crew partner definitely felt their muscles the next day and I felt my should blades. I do not do a vigorous amount of chattorungas during my practices and during Yoga X I only missed a couple of the extra chattorungas. He really enjoys the sun salutations. My concern is that he does not give enough cues for the chattorunga form. Beginners often muscle through the posture and overwork their rotator cuffs. These postures and cues can always be looked up online for further guidance, too!
It looks like I will be continuing P90X this week with my mom. I am trying to keep up with track practice and getting in Hot Yoga. So many fun ways to be physically active.
Off to teach Yoga! Maybe I will have more than one student this morning =)
yours gingerly,
Whitney Schnarr
Tony Horton, the creator, does a great job at sequencing the exercises throughout the sessions. There are lots of push-ups and chin-ups but he breaks them up. The arm, leg and abdominal workouts were great, too. The morning after each workout I was able to feel the muscles I had worked but it was never to an extent of discomfort or muscle tightness that would affect my workout. I had a great seven day trial and enjoyed each days new workout. Except for the day when we played the wrong video and did the advanced arms and chest. As soon as we started doing one-handed push-ups I thought Tony was crazy. Most women have trouble with push-ups, and I could not imagine my mom attempting to try one-handed push-ups during her first week.
My main reason for trying P90X was to check out the Yoga session. Friends and yoga students kept suggesting I try the P90X Yoga. Yoga was schedule on day four and I thought it was a great class. I prefer attending class, but when you are stuck at a base 24/7, Yoga DVDs are a great compromise. Some postures and transitions were a bit advance for those who have never done Yoga but slow enough for beginners to build. My sister and her crew partner definitely felt their muscles the next day and I felt my should blades. I do not do a vigorous amount of chattorungas during my practices and during Yoga X I only missed a couple of the extra chattorungas. He really enjoys the sun salutations. My concern is that he does not give enough cues for the chattorunga form. Beginners often muscle through the posture and overwork their rotator cuffs. These postures and cues can always be looked up online for further guidance, too!
It looks like I will be continuing P90X this week with my mom. I am trying to keep up with track practice and getting in Hot Yoga. So many fun ways to be physically active.
Off to teach Yoga! Maybe I will have more than one student this morning =)
yours gingerly,
Whitney Schnarr
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